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One of the problems that faces the parents of nursing toddlers is that if they have any difficulty that they are dealing with, it is attributed to the fact that they are still nursing. Some problems are made different by the fact that you are still nursing, and have to be handled bearing that in mind. But most are unrelated and affect many children at that stage (see “Mothering your nursing toddler” bibliography). You may begin to get remarks about weaning when your baby is only a few months old. It depends on where you live and who else you know who is breastfeeding. It is comforting to join a breastfeeding group for moral support while you are breastfeeding. I found it extremely helpful. I also made some really good friends, who have remained long after our children have stopped nursing. This is the sort of support that is wonderful when you are nursing your child and you know that it is right for you to continue. It helps when the doubts creep in, as most of our families and neighbours will not be doing or believing in the same thing (see breastfeeding groups, useful addresses: Association of Breastfeeding Mothers, La Leche League, also the National Childbirth Trust has a Breastfeeding Promotion Group and some breastfeeding mothers support groups). Once you have been nursing for more than nine months or a year, you may come under some extraordinary pressure to stop nursing. Some people find it even more offensive to see an older child nurse. At this point some women then choose only to nurse at home. This can work quite well, as an eighteen month old for example, can understand ‘when we get home’. Having said that I feel that our children’s welfare is more important than the uninvited disapproval of strangers so sometimes we may have to risk criticism while we attend to our own child’s’ needs. A visit to a breastfeeding country is a refreshing break, worth remembering if you are planning to go away with your family. It is so supportive to see all the women publicly feeding their children and reminds us that it is our society that is being odd, not us. | ||
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CATHERINE HOLLAND Tel: 0701 7415310 Email: catherine@catherineholland.co.uk | |
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